


The Yellow Rose

by DramaticHufflepuff



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M, Hogwarts Era, Hogwarts First Year, Severus Snape Has a Heart, Severus Snape Lives, The Golden Trio Era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-07-04 04:25:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15833718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticHufflepuff/pseuds/DramaticHufflepuff
Summary: Emme was a normal girl, living a normal life with normal worries, until the day she found that letter at her front door. She never believed that the world of Harry Potter could be real outside the pages of the books, but it was. Among all the things she thought might happen to her while at Hogwarts, the only one she had never imagined was falling in love with the Potion's Master.





	1. New And A Bit Alarming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [everyone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/everyone/gifts).



> I had this story in my head for quite a while, but I didn't know exactly how to put things in place, until now. Severus Snape has always been my favorite character in HP, and one of the things that saddens me most about the books is that he is so lonely, so this story is basically me, trying to fill a void in my own heart. Hope you like it.

 

Emmeline could not believe her eyes. She was standing on the porch, her heavy backpack ruining her left shoulder, and the market shopping under her other arm, in her hands the little yellow envelope she had found in front of the door. That could only be a joke, she thought, studying the letter more closely, the paper was thick and the envelope had been carefully sealed.  _But it seems so real..._

A loud meow made her start, looking down, Emme found Scones, her pet cat, curled up on her legs.

“Oh, it’s you,” she sighed. “If you could, I bet you’d be laughing at me, wouldn’t you?”

The cat growled, and as crazy as it seemed, it sounded like agreement. Annoyed, the girl slipped the envelope into the pocket of her pants and fished the keys, opening the door and closing it behind Scones. The television was on in the local paper, but the lady sitting in front of the device snored loudly. Emmeline smiled as she passed by her grandmother, she went to the kitchen, put the groceries on the counter, and got rid of her backpack.

She still had some time until the medication, she noticed looking at the clock on the wall. Emme pulled the envelope from her pocket and looked more closely. The unmistakable coat was stamped on the front of the envelope. A letter from Hogwarts! Emme had been obsessed with the Harry Potter universe since the age of seven, when her grandfather gave her the first book, and until she was eleven, the girl always expected to receive a letter like that. In fact, until she was thirteen she still had hopes, but she certainly did not believe it at the age of seventeen.

Maybe it was some promotion inspired by the universe created by J.K Rowling, nothing more, and she was freaking out for nothing. But who could blame her? Any self-respecting Harry Potter fan may have wished the wizarding world had really existed ... Smiling at her stupidity, Emme opened the envelope and pulled out two sheets of yellowed paper. The first one said:

_Dear Ms. Emmeline Gray,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Emme blinked, stunned. It was really a stupid joke.

She took the other sheet, her hands shaking slightly, out of anger or whatever.

_The seventh grade magic extension program opens up opportunities for students from other institutions to join the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in order to prepare for the delivery of N. by the end of the school year. The subjects to be studied must be previously requested by the students by correspondence._

Emme had never heard of that extension program before. She searched for something in her mind. She had read the Harry Potter saga more times than she could count, and a detail like that certainly would not have gone unnoticed. Still, the girl pulled the phone from her pocket and opened a tab on Google, then typed several terms, always frustrating to find nothing to send her search. Finally, she sighed and put away her cell phone.

Beneath the sheet was the usual list of equipment and books, as Harry had supposedly received throughout his years at Hogwarts.

_UNIFORM_

_Seventh-year students will require:_

_1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupil’s clothes should carry name tags._

_COURSE BOOKS:_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 7) by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

_Advanced Potion-making, Noel Green_

_Transfiguration for the middle course by Emeric Switch_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUIPMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_1 broomstick, at the student’s choice_

_Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

Emmeline was smiling without realizing it. As much as the books cited belonged to the sixth year, the inclusion of the uniform and other equipment only appeared in the letters of the first year, and whoever had sent that letter to Emme, really wanted her to feel that she was even getting a place to join at Hogwarts in September.  _As if that were possible..._

Her cell phone began to vibrate, Emme caught it startled, it was the alarm. She stood up resignedly, took the envelope and walked with it to the bin, where she let it fall. She could not afford to dream of a fantasy world at this point, she had a life to take care of. And she had a grandmother, who right now had to take her medicine.

* * *

Emmeline erased the calculation for the thirtieth time, frowning. She was especially bad at physics, but she prided herself on being especially good at other subjects, and Emme was good at many non-academic subjects, for example, she had an impressive memory and was very good at decorating information. She could cite in alphabetical form each of the Harry Potter spells and its implications...

Emme shook her head. No, she should not have been thinking about it, but it was really hard, actually. She did not believe the letter, of course, Harry Potter was fantastic, but it was still a fiction, and as much as the inner child in her wanted to believe that Hogwarts’ imperious castle, like its teachers and its secrets, were real, she was big enough not to be influenced by desires. Emme had more responsibilities than an ordinary teenager, she had lived with her grandparents since she was six years old, after her parents’ unexpected death, her grandfather died two years later, and since then she lived alone with her grandmother, Georgina. Things had not always been easy, but they had worsened dramatically since the discovery of Alzheimer’s two years ago, and have been at a steady level ever since.

Emme had to get a job earlier than expected, since, even with the grandparents’ retirement, expenses had increased with her grandmother’s medicines, and Georgina refused to let Emme play the money left by her parents, claiming that it would be used solely to pay for her college. Emme, however, liked to work in the town’s nightclub, it was a quiet job and the bosses were nice people, but more than that, she was grateful for not having much free time to be dreaming of a different life.

Emme did not have many friends, only Nicole and Andie, whom she did not see so often, and of course, she had Scones, but his preference was for Georgina, and he would always make that clear.

_Toc, toc._

Emme looked up from the paper in time to see her grandmother entering the room. She had a tray of sandwiches, and she smiled. When her remedies were up, it was almost impossible to say that she was suffering from mental illness.

\- Honey, still studying? This can not be healthy.

Emme smiled and sat down.

“I’ve got tests next week, and I’m super late.”

Her grandmother’s brow furrowed. Emme knew what she was thinking, that she was guilty because Emme did not have a normal life, they always discussed about it. Emme touched her temples, her head starting to ache.

“Should not you be watching that cooking show?” She asked.

“Oh, yeah, I just wanted to get you something to eat, and, uh, I also wanted to see you opening this up, here.”

Emme nearly fell out of bed when her grandmother handed her a letter identical to the one she’d thrown in the trash yesterday.

“Grandma ...” Emme took the letter in her hands, trembling. “Where did you find that?”

“Well, actually ...” And then, to Emme’s shock, her grandmother pulled a pack of identical letters from her coat pocket. “That one I found nowhere near the front door, but they’ve been here for weeks, and every time you were at work, so I put them in the drawer, but I never remembered to deliver them to you.”

She shrugged, looking guilty.

Emme, however, was struggling with panic.

She took the bundle of letters, and began to open them frantically, they were all the same.  _But what is it?_

“You have to go, my dear.” Grandma said over her shoulder.

“Go where, Grandma?”

“Hogwarts. Those letters are from there, are not they?”

Emme gave a bitter laugh.

“You can not really believe that. It must be some bad joke on somebody, like that note at Christmas.”

“That happened five years ago, Emme,” the grandmother countered. “Besides, that’s different.”

“Yeah, this is crazy. Hogwarts! Please!”

The girl got up, picking up all the cards with her.

“What will you do?”

“I’m going to burn it all.”

“Emme…”

But Emmeline was already coming down the stairs, she came into the kitchen feeling itchy scalp, she did not know exactly why she was so dismayed, but somehow that play had taken her from the axes. If she discovered the author of this trick, the person would have serious problems.

Emme turned on the electric fireplace and threw the letters one by one, watching them burn in the bluish fire. Part of herself felt glad to see them burning, another part was not quite sure about how to feel. The girl was so focused on getting rid of the envelopes that she did not even notice when her grandmother appeared at her side.

“Honey,” Georgina called, touching her granddaughter on the shoulder.

Emme sighed.

“Sorry, Grandma,” she said. “I know I was badly educated up there, it’s just that it’s driving me crazy.”

Emmeline waited for some wise response from her grandmother, but only received silence. Looking up, she found a stunned expression on Georgina’s face, her thin lips parted and her blue eyes bulging.

Emme jumped to her feet.

“Grandmother! Grandma, what happened? Are you alright?”

Georgina just raised the gauge, pointing toward the living room window. Emme turned to look, and automatically her jaw dropped. Hovering in the air in front of the window, in a confusion of feathers and beak, was a beautiful brown owl.

For a full minute none of the Gray women sketched a reaction, then the owl, looking annoyed, began to peck at the glass more insistently. Emme shook her head, sure that she had fallen asleep while doing her homework, and that this was all a crazy dream, she went to the window and opened it, the owl flew in and went to land on the coffee table. Georgina stared at the animal with adoration and surprise.

“How did you end up here, huh?” Emme asked, approaching, as if to understand it, the owl stretched its leg towards her, a brown leather bag was stuck there, Emme reached out and took out a piece of rolled parchment.

Again with her hands shaking, she unrolled it and lifted it to her eyes.

_Dear Miss Emmeline Gray,_

_You are being invited to attend Diagon Alley on the 30th of July at 1:00 p.m. All students in the Magic Extension Program will need to follow up on the purchase and choice of their materials. What’s more, it’s a great opportunity to get to know your classmates beforehand._

_Regards,_

_Christopher Gaarder_

_Chief President_

When she finished reading, Emme lifted a hand to her mouth.

Georgina, who had approached and read the message on the granddaughter’s shoulders, uttered an exclamation.

“Now you believe?” She asked.

Emme cleared her throat.

“Grandmma... I ... I can not believe it.”

But her grandmother was not listening, she had turned her back on her way to the kitchen, and then returned with a pot of biscuits, took two in the palm of her hand, and offered them the owl, which paid attention to both.

“What is she waiting for?” Emme asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? She’s waiting for your reply to the letter from Hogwarts.” Georgina laughed, and then, as if to confirm her speech, a slight  _swish_  was heard, and looking at the front door, they saw that a yellow envelope had just been passed under the door.

Emme let her head fall into her hands.

“This can not be happening.”


	2. Oh, isn't this amazing?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Emmeline finds out dreams come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I know I've been away for a while, but academicals will understand me. No more delay, I'm back with another chapter, where we'll get to meet some new and authorial characters (and of course, non-authorial names will appear here too). This will be a important chapter, for many things will need futher explanations. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed to write it!

Three weeks after the arrival of the last letter, Emmeline hadn't yet completely forgotten the stomach ache she felt upon receiving a new owl the next day, which brought a message of thanks from her own new transfiguration teacher, Minerva McGonagall. She still didn't know why she had answered the letter, anyway.

 Now, one day before the combined date for the Magic Extension Program Students' meeting, Emme was completely divided; a part of herself was aware that she would find nothing when she went to the address indicated on Christopher Gaarder's note - if the address really existed - but the other part, much less rational of her, wondered what would happen if everything were real... Emme didn't want to think about it.

The whole story was driving her crazy, and her grandmother could make matters worse, touching the subject whenever she could, and making everything seem very normal, when absolutely no aspect of it could be considered as normal. Emme hadn't talked about this to anyone, Andie had been asking, a few days before, why she was acting so strange, and for a moment, as she looked into her friend's eyes, Emmeline considered telling her everything. But who in their right minds would believe her?

Lying on her back in her bed at night, Emme couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that was taking hold of her. She looked to the side, the very round moon illuminating the pile of books beside her bed, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was open on top of the other books. Emme snuggled under the sheets, and slept staring at the letters in the book that had been stirring so much in her life.

***

Emmeline woke up the next day with her grandmother knocking on the door, she opened her eyes and yawned, the room was slightly clear, and looking out the window, Emme saw that the sky was partly cloudy. Even so, she got off the bed and went to open the door. Georgina was standing on the threshold, dressed in her flowery sleeping clothes, and holding a tray of cake and tea in her hands. Emme smiled.

"Grandma, what is this?"

"Your breakfast," Georgina said cheerfully. "You still have not gotten dressed? You're going to miss the train."

Emmeline glanced over her shoulders, to the clock on the bedroom wall, 9 am.

"Grandma, I don't really need to..."

The grandmother raised her index finger in the air, and Emme fell silent.

"Emmeline Alice Grey, you're going to London, even if I have to throw you on the train, myself."

"And who will give you your medicine?" Emme folded her arms in her chest, stubborn. Her grandmother's medications needed to be given at exactly the right time, or she could have unpleasant side effects, such as irritation and drowsiness.

"Do not worry about me," Georgina said. "I called Dulce, she'll be here in an hour, and she'll stay with me until you get back."

Emme didn't think it was too comforting. Dulce was Emme's godmother, and Georgina's best friend, but despite being a sweet person, she was in her sixties, and one could not rely on her memory more than one could trust her grandmother's.  
   
The expression on her face, however, made it clear that she was ready to fight any nuisance that her granddaughter would put out of the house, then feeling defeated, Emme nodded, went back into the room and went to bathe.

She dressed for the cold, though she was not sure how she should dress for a trip to Diagon Alley. _That does not exist, Emme, please_. She stopped in front of the mirror, her long, dark hair particularly disturbed, and without much patience, she just tied it in a bun and prayed that it would stay that way. Her deep brown eyes contained small circles around it, a present in the nights asleep. On the way out of the room, Emme reached for a brown leather bag and placed it across the body.

Georgina's tea cake was greeted with excitement by Emme's stomach, which suddenly realized that she was feeling something very similar to anxiety as she ate, she kept glancing at the phone's display, checking the time every minute. When she finished eating, the girl was almost kicked out of the house by her grandmother, who took her to the door and blew out one: "Have fun."

 _As if I were going to a party_ ... Emme thought bitterly.

Two blocks away from home, Emme entered the station. She lived in Mitcham, a district in south-west London that was about ten miles from Charing Cross, where she was supposed to find the bar that served as a gateway to Diagon Alley.

Already inside the train, Emme kept looking at the people outside the window, men and women hurrying along the sidewalks, children holding hands with their parents, young teenagers walking in groups. Could any of them be a wizard? She thought. For the last few days Emme had raised several questions in her head, the most recurrent ones being: Why had she been chosen? Only _wizards_ were given a place in Hogwarts, and this was always at the age of 11, considering that Emme did not receive any letters when she was eleven, and that she definitely didn't believe there were wizards in the Grey family, that could only mean that she was a Muggle. And Muggles do not study magic.

The other question was: What if she really had a vacancy waiting for her at the Magic And Wizardry School? Emme couldn't deny that this would be her greatest dream come true, but she was reasonable enough to know that she couldn't simply abandon her responsibilities. The grandmother had always looked after Emme, and now she had to reciprocate, no matter what it would cost.

Rain began to fall as Emme climbed the stairs of Charing Cross Station, and she quickly ran to a women's store across the street to buy an umbrella. As she took the money from her purse, Emme wondered what she would do to pay anything in the wizarding world... She didn't have any wizard money. The owner of the establishment stared at Emme suspiciously as she stopped the money and stared at her.

 _Great_ , she thought, _I'm beginning to show signs of madness._

Now sheltered from the rain, Emme started to walk down the street, not quite sure what she was looking for. In The Philosopher's Stone book, Harry recounted that the Leaky Cauldron was somewhere between a bookstore and an old discs shop, and thinking about it, Emmeline walked to the end of Charing Cross Road, looking back and forth, often stopping and narrowing her eyes attentive to any sign of a dubious-looking bar. However, there was nothing remotely wizardshaped in that street.

She stopped by a souvenir shop and took a deep breath, her legs ached a little after walking so much, Emme checked the time on her cell phone, almost 1pm.

"What am I doing? This is not real!" She said irritably. "I'm an idiot, and I'm sure someone must be hiding somewhere, laughing a lot at me right now."

Emme realized she was on the verge of crying, so frustrated she was, and before she started to cry in the middle of the street, she spun back to the station. And that was when she saw it, across the street, between a large bookstore with a blue painting and an old record store, a narrow bar whose facade was very well spoiled and dirty, the panes, though dusty enough, allowed the sight of many people in long robes seated at long tables.

Emmeline scratched her eyes, stunned. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was really the Leaky Cauldron, a precarious wooden plaque above the door of the place confirmed it. But then ... Emme almost choked. That meant that everything else was real, too! She had actually received a letter from Minerva McGonagall, she even had a vacancy at Hogwarts!

Without realizing it, Emme began to pop-up in the street, people hurrying past and forced to divert her, uttering complaints and protests, but she didn't hear them. Emme looked both ways and crossed the street, standing face to face with the old bar, she reached for the doorknob but fearing that the vision would disappear with the touch.

Before she could reach the door, however, someone opened it from inside, almost hitting Emmeline on the face. A tall, skinny boy, with square glasses balanced on the bridge of his nose, and extremely blond hair, smiled at Emme.

"Oh, I found you. It's the last one missing."

Emme looked up and down, uncertain whether the boy was even talking to her. None of the passing passers seemed to notice the boy in the long wizard's robes.

"Come on, let's start the expedition."

And without another word, the boy stoned into the Leaky Cauldron again. Emme wasted no time, closed the umbrella, and went right behind him. The interior of the bar was decadent, but at the same time, magical. Witches and wizards occupied the tables, talking and drinking dubiously sparkling liquids. Behind a counter at the end of the bar was Tom, the owner, Emme recognized him from the books.

She was completely baffled by what she saw, and almost lost the teenage wizard by sight, luckily she managed to catch a glimpse of the end of his black robes crossing out of the bar, and went after him. It was now in a small walled courtyard, about fifteen other people, outside the wizard in glasses, clustered in the center of the courtyard, glancing up and down and looking nervous and delighted.

Muggles, Emme thought, like her.

The wizard stood in front of the group, cleared his throat and began to speak, looking superior.

"Be welcome. I am Christopher Gaarder, Chief Prefect of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and I was encouraged to welcome and accompany all of you in purchasing your school supplies." The boy peered anxiously, searching for something. "Any questions?"

Suddenly, several hands lifted up. The boy frowned.

"Ahm, you in blue!" He pointed to a tall, thin boy in a blue cashmere coat.

"So it's true, then, isn't it?" He stammered. "H-hogwarts and e-eve-everything else?"

The Prefect blinked.

"Of course it's all real," he said, as if the question were very stupid. Emme felt her stomach flip, and then she saw her own hand held high in the air.

Christopher Gaarder pointed at her, asking her to speak.

"Why were we chosen?" She asked. "I mean, why _us_?"

The boy blinked, his cheeks suddenly turning red.

"These are questions I am not authorized to answer, but all questions will be clarified by Professor Dumbledore at the beginning of the school year."

Emme pursed her lips to ask more questions, but before she could, the Hogwarts Chief Prefect turned his back on the group and pulled out a wand. Emmeline already knew what he was going to do, and there was no other, he counted the bricks above a garbage can, and knocked, and then something very unbelievable happened, the red bricks began to rearrange themselves on the wall, opening a portal to the eyes of all.

A chorus of "wow's" rose in the air.

"Stay together, please," the boy asked. "And welcome to Diagon Alley!"

With a broad hand, Christopher stepped through the doorway, and the gang of teenagers followed behind him. Everyone was about the same age, Emmeline noticed. A blonde girl with beautiful curls in her hair gave hiccups of happiness.

Emme gasped as she crossed the portal to Diagon Alley, it was exactly as she had pictured it. The main street was contorted, in a curve that disappeared from view, every sidewalk with cobblestones. A store with many piled-up cauldrons stood in front of Emme, and she watched a witch in lime-green robes lean over one of the cauldrons and tap its bottom. Further on, several different pious jumped from cages, Emme read on a wooden board "Emporio Owls." Witches and wizards in brightly colored robes zigzagged from one store to another carrying packets, many of the passersby, she noted, were children accompanied by their parents, shopping back to school. Emme wiped her eyes, unable to believe what she saw. The same reaction happened with the other members of the Extension in Magic Program. Some girls, she noticed, were crying with emotion.

"Follow me," Christopher called over his shoulder. "Let's go to Gringotts, you need wizard money."

Everyone followed, it was hard to pay attention to Christopher's tourist explanations, when everything around was far more attractive, and Emme and everyone else had to turn their heads to capture all the stores and wizarding articles so magnificent.

Gringotts, the wizard's bank, was a tall, white building with bronze doors. An unobtrusive elf wearing a bright red uniform received them at the door, the look he threw at the group of teenagers was one of plain discontent, but he said nothing. Inside the bank, the group had to wait in a row of benches, while Christopher walked with one of the elves to the bank underneath, where the coffers remained.

Emme didn't know what money he hoped to find there, she had no witch fortune, at least.

"Too good to be true, isn't it?" A shuffled voice spoke next to Emme, turning her face, she discovered a short, black-skinned girl with curly hair. She smiled. "My name is Samantha, by the way. But call me Sam."

Emme reached out to shake the girl's hand.

"Emmeline," she said, then corrected herself. "Emme."

"Hello, Emme. You're a non-magi too, aren't you?"

"A _what_?"

Sam shook her head.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forget there are certain differences in English and American wizard vocabulary," she laughed. "I meant you're not a witch. Not yet."

"Oh, that," Emme sighed. "No, I'm not. Actually, I don't know how I ended up here. A week ago my only concern was to take care of my grandmother and not give the wrong change to anyone at work... They must have been wrong with me, I shouldn't be here at all."

Samantha pulled a bunch of hair, thoughtful. Beside them the group of teenagers was agitated, looking at all sides and pointing, and talking excitedly.

"Don't be silly, only wizards and witches go to Hogwarts."

"Well, I'm not a witch."

Sam laughed as if keeping a secret.

"That's what you think, Emmeline."

Emme wanted to ask what she wanted to say, but it was interrupted by Christopher, he was back, his hands loaded with little sacks of cloth tied with a golden rope. Each student in the Magic Extension Program received one of these.

As she took hers, Emme realized they were coins. Surprised, she opened her own purse, only to come across curious coins inside. She recognized them immediately, sickles, knuckles and galleons.

"Come with me," Christopher announced, heading toward the wizard's bench exit. "We have plenty to buy, guys."

The first stop the group made was, and could not have been different, at Madame Malkin - Robes For All Occasions. The atmosphere was very organized and smelled of incense, a plump witch was the one who received them, Christopher said something to her for a minute, and then the woman gave a loud laugh and approached one of the students. The tall, scrawny boy, whom Emmeline was almost sure to call Patrick.

"Let's see, um ... well, very well," said the witch, while a tape measure magically took the boy's measurements, and next to her a pen wrote down on a small clipboard.

"Let's see you-" Madame Malkin approached the blond-haired girl, who looked afflicted.

"I bet she'd rather be buying her robes at Twilfitt and Tatting's," Samantha hissed. Emmeline laughed. According to the books, this was a sophisticated dress shop.

Half an hour later, everyone was making a stop - which, according to Christopher, was mandatory - at the Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor, whose ice cream flavors ranged from simple vanilla to the most varied. While enjoying the dessert, Emme heard someone ordering an ice cream of frog eggs and found it amusing.

They had already bought almost all the material, school books, cauldrons and other things, for Emme's account, only one thing was missing ...

"Oh my Godness!" She exclaimed at the sign of the shop where the Monitor was leading them. "Oh, crap, Sam... It's Olivaras!"

Samantha dropped her ice cream.

"That means we're going to buy wands. Oh, real wands!"

Upon hearing the comment, everyone in the small group stirred and began to speak hysterically. Christopher had to use his wand to amplify his own voice and make himself heard.

"You will come in pairs, we do not want to overload Mr. Ollivander, okay?" The Headmaster spoke with pomp, then pointed at Patrick and another light-haired boy, the two of them ran inside the shop without waiting for any more speech.

"Wait," Sam said suddenly, Emme turned to her. 

"What's it?"

"You didn't notice, did you? We are about to enter the Olivender's. Christopher just said that Mr. Olivender himself will attend us!"

The girl jumped, seeming to conclude a theory with success. Emme did not understand.

"What's so bad about that?"

"Ah, Emme, think! Before, the Monitor said that when we get to Hogwarts Professor Dumbledore will clear all our doubts. That's a thing, if we're here, and both Dumbledore and Ollivander are still here too."

Emme caught her breath, finally understanding where the girl wanted to get.

"They're alive!" She said at last, and Sam smiled in agreement. "Dumbledore, Olivenders... Probably Sirius Black, Snape... All the characters who died in the books are still alive here." "

Exactly!"

"But what does that mean?"

Sam opened her mouth to speak, but just then Christopher called their names.

"Come on, you're next."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep. Seems like Emme has a lot to process, right? I couldn't help but add Snape's name on this chapter. Can we please just rush to where they met, pleaseeee? Maybe next chapter, I see a light on it.


	3. The Spell We're Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where a decision is made...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, ma'dears! I sense that our adventure has just begun, can you smell it in the air? I have to say, this chapter is a bit more rational, and maybe a little too sensitive, but it'll be worthy. Can you tell from which of the songs from Beauty and the Beast is the quote that gives name to our new chapter? Let me know. A hug, and good reading!

"Atchim!"

"Bless you!" Emmeline turned her back, Sam was bent over her own body near the store entrance, her delicate nose quite red, and looking irritated.

"Thank you" she snorted. "I thought wizards had some sense of cleanliness. This place is dusty from floor to ceiling."

And it was true. Emme rolled her eyes, Ollivanders was a small, narrow shop, with square and black boxes stacked almost to the ceiling, a long counter in the back of the shop, and a doorway all set in the back of the room. It had been almost five minutes since Christopher had pushed them both in, and no one had shown up yet.

"Do you think we should call? Clap, or something?"

Emme's lips parted to say she did not think it was a good idea, but right then a pale, curved figure stepped through the back door. It was small and very wrinkled, had large, clear eyes that seemed to see beyond the objects, Emme felt a strange shiver when the man laid a long look over her. Sam stood beside her friend, still sniffing.

"Hello, young witches," he said, his voice hoarse and senile. "Looking for new wands?"

"Not necessarily." Samantha hastened to say, she was now evaluating the man with critical interest. "We had came for our first wands. Please."

Mr. Ollivander shook his head, his thin gray hair falling over his eyes as he walked to a stack of small boxes and skillfully removed two identical boxes from the pile.

"Hm," he muttered, motioning for the two of them to approach as he set the boxes on the counter. "A little old for first wands."

Emme saw, by the way the girl arched her back, that Sam was about to say something very offensive, so she hurried.

"We are not witches," Emme said. "Well, not yet, at least. We're part of the Hogwarts Magic Extension Program, you know?"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes... I've heard of it. Where it was?" The old man touched the tip of his chin with a long, wrinkled finger. "Oh, Knockturn Alley, beyond any doubt. A nifty Dumbledore maneuver against the Ministry, of course. Who would ever suspect anything?" The old man gasped, maybe it was a laugh. "Right under Fudge's pointed nose, yes."

Sam and Emme looked at each other, confused, and shrugged.

"Let's see then, Miss...?" Mr. Ollivander's eyes rested on Sam, like two white doves, and she shrank to the counter.

"Samantha Scott."

"Um, Scott... Yes, yes, I think I have what you need."

Emme watched, stunned, Mr. Ollivander pulling from a small box a long, thin object of dark wood with what looked like tendrils at one end, and handed it to Samantha. Was it Emme's impression or was the girl shaking? When her fingers closed around the object, a light gushed from the wand like a beacon, and a cold wind pierced Emme, shaking dust from the high shelves.

"I... atchim!... love it." Sam said through sneezing.

"Twenty-one centimeters, Acacia wood, phoenix feather core. A very powerful wand when, and only, if conquered..."

Sam blinked, but did not seem particularly affected by the ominous words of the old wand maker, she took her own wand in her hands and went to sit on one of the chairs, admiring it. She even stopped sneezing.

"Now you. Come closer, my dear." said Ollivanders, in a tone of inquiry. Emme sighed and approached the counter.

"Gray. Emmeline Gray." she said.

For a moment, she thought she had seen Mr. Ollivander's very blue eyes bulge, but in a moment he had turned his back on her and walked to a shelf.

"Let's see, let's see... Ah, I guess that's it."

When he returned, he had two little boxes in his hands. He opened the first one, it was a long, black wand with a rosette stone on the hilt. He held it out to Emme with an air of appreciation, and she reached out to grasp the object, but even before she had touched it, her wand leapt out of Mr. Ollivander's hands and landed on the other side of the room, near a window.

"Oh, my God, did I do something wrong?"

"Oh, do not worry, Miss." Mr. Ollivander laughed. "Wood of Elderberry, tremendously moody, and... I'm going to whisper, a bit prejudiced with non-pure blood."

The next wand was dark brown, also long, and very smooth. When Emme closed her finger around the object, she expected to feel something totally special, closed her eyes, but nothing happened. Even though it was normal not to find her wand at first, she felt disappointed. When they were already in the fifth attempt, Emme began to think that maybe she was right, maybe it had been a mistake for her to be there. Maybe she was never going to be a witch...

"Are you listening it, Miss. Gray?

Emme looked up at Mr. Ollivander, his brow furrowed, leaving his features even more wrinkled, like a raisin. His eyes looked at the top of a shelf, Emme sharpened her ears. She was really listening to something, it was like a buzz. Suddenly, boxes began to move out of place, as if they were being pushed. Sam looked up, too.

"Is it a rat?"

"Rats?!" Cried Mr. Ollivander. "How dare you, young lady? There are no rats in my establishment. It is properly sanitized."

Sam apologized, but Emme heard her saying quietly, "I would not be surprised." She wanted to laugh, but she had to be quick enough to turn away from the object that flew right in the direction of her head. A black box had dug up from the middle of the others, as if someone had thrown it, and landed on the counter behind Emme. Mr. Ollivander was now very still, staring at the wand and scratching his chin.

"Yes, yes, I think I ought to know."

He came over and opened the box. He drew a spectacular wand from within; not that the others were not pretty, but Emme could not help thinking that this was a perfect wand. Made of long, light wood with rounded base, it had engravings beginning at the hilt and up the body of the wand, a hawthorn, drawings of small rosebuds interspersed among the thorns. Emme caught her breath.

"Try this one."

"Are you sure?" She asked uncertainly as she held out her hand.

"This wand practically jumped in your lap, Miss. Gray." Mr. Ollivander said harshly, but with a hint of kindness in his voice. "In almost fifty years of profession, I can count on the fingers of a hand how many times I have seen this happen."

Feeling a little more confident, Emme held the wand between her fingers. The first thing she felt was an euphoria, then came the wind, which was no longer as cold as before, more like a gentle breeze, and then the light, golden and blinding, spurting out from the tip of her wand.

"Congratulations, Miss. Gray." Mr. Olivaras smiled. "Your wand has chosen you. And not any wand, I must say. Twenty-five centimeters, vine and core of dragon heart fiber. Wisdom and power are striking features of this wand, as well as loyalty to the first owner." The man leaned over the counter, closer to Emme, and whispered so that only she could hear. "But everything has its bad side, yes, if taken to the dark arts side, its loyalty can have a very high price..."

Emme wanted to ask what he meant by that, if he really knew anything, or if he always made ominous remarks about the wands he sold, as some kind of marketing tactic, but she did not have time. Christopher's dark hair appeared in the doorway, sounding the bell, he looked impatient.

"Why are you taking so long? I have a long line of wizards who need wands here."

They both paid their wands and headed out of the shop. As she looked back once more, Emme thought she had seen Mr. Ollivander staring strangely behind the counter, but since the shop was very ill-lit, she realized it was only her head. Outside, the sun was hot and the air was extremely muffled. Sam and Emme made their way to a stone stool in front of a broomstick shop and sat down.

"Strange man, Ollivanders, do not you think?"

Emme shook her head.

"Freak."

"Emme, I've been thinking..." Sam started to speak, but Emme became distracted by the wizards and witches that moved up and down the narrow, tortuous Alley. The anxious faces and the long, colorful robes. Emme followed her gaze with a small witch in pink robes to an street in front of the Gringotts, and as she disappeared into the street, her attention moved directly to another figure, tall and thin, in all black robes and one cane in hands. Despite his back, Emme felt she knew the man. She also saw that he was accompanied by another boy, about the same height. The boy had very light, almost white hair, and looked at something in a window.

"And then Justin Timberlake kissed me on the navel..."

Emme looked at Sam, dazed.

"He what?"

"Please, Emme, you did not hear anything I said, did you?"

"Sorry, I distract myself."

"All right, I know the wizarding world is far more interesting than any theory I might have created." Christopher was rallying the Extension Program group again, shouting something about those wishing to head to the Magic Animals store to get a pet before the school year begins.

"You know that was not what I said." Emme defended herself, standing up and holding out a hand to Sam. She smiled.

"But that's what you thought, you can not deny it." They both laughed. "I think I'm going to buy a cat, what do you think? I always wanted to have one, but my younger sister is allergic. Well, not that it will matter once I'm at Hogwarts."

"I like cats." Emme said. "My grandmother has a cat, Scones. He's a scary creature, that cat, but a nice companion."

Sam laughed and turned to accompany the rest of the students. For some reason, Emmeline felt the need to look back once again, her eyes went straight to the man she had observed before, he was turned in profile, she could see a sharp nose and thin lips. The man said something, and then he pushed open the door of the shop and entered, the boy who was with him became tottally visible to Emme, and she recognized him immediately. The sharp face, the blond hair and the expression of superiority. Just as she had imagined. He seemed to notice her standing there, staring at him, looked at her back, for a moment that seemed to last a minute, the two stared at each other. Then the boy pushed open the door and followed his father, and Sam pulled Emmeline's arm around her.

But Emme could not stop thinking about the boy. With his own, she dared to make a guess, sixteens, the smug look and the pale pallor described in the books. Draco Malfoy, he was real, and for Emme that only meant one thing: Harry, Hermione, Ron and the others were as well. They were almost her age now. She was inside one of the books, but which one?

Emme wasn't particularly surprised that no one on the subway seemed to notice that she was traveling with strange equipment at her side: a giant travel trunk, brass cauldrons, a pointed hat sticking out of one of the paper bags... She wasn't particularly interested either in no one around her, not even the landscape that passed half blurred by her window could distract her. There were so many things going on in her head right now. The wizarding world was real! That alone would be enough to drive her mad, but as if that were not enough, the characters of J.K. Rowling were also real. Emme could not dispel the sight of the pale, blond boy in her mind, it was Draco Malfoy, she had no doubt. He did not look anything like Tom Felton, the character's performer in the movies, but he had all the features described by Harry in the books. Harry... Emme sighed, what was he like? Had his life been as unhappy as it had been in the books? What threats would he face in that school year? How long would it take until other person he loves were ripped out of his life? Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred Wesley? That was not fair!

Why? Why had she been placed inside this incredible world, only to see it crumble? Could Emme simply scream in the corridors of Hogwarts that all of them were fictional creatures, that in the years to come The-one-who-must-not-be-named would come back and wage one of the greatest wizard wars of all times? Would that make her more or less crazy?

Emme rested her forehead on the cold glass of the train window, felt tired after an afternoon of shopping in a fantastic universe, but nonetheless, she was immensely happy. Of course, there were still things that would torment her until consuming her, the main one was: What about her grandmother? Emme really wanted to get to Hogwarts. God, it was what she wanted most in life! But could she? Could she turn her back on the only person she had in the world, the woman who had devoted her entire life to her, never asking for anything in return? How could Emme be happy having abandoned her?

Her station has arrived. Emme stood up and excused herself for two tall men blocking her passage, she got off the train pulling the trunk behind her, and returned home. When she came in, Scones was the first to greet her, and in the living room she came upon a scene that, at the same time, made her want to laugh and cry. Mrs. Dulce and her grandmother had fallen asleep on the couch, both with an unfinished piece of crochet in their lap, and Tv hooked up in a gossip program.

Until September first, that is, two weeks from then, that was still Emme's reality.

"It's the only solution." Georgina said, eating a piece of toast.

Emme approached her with another pancake and set it on the plate in front of her grandmother. At that moment, Scones jumped on the counter and tried to steal a piece of the pancake, Emme was quick enough to hold him with one arm and return him to the floor.

"Or I can just stay." she said.

"That is not an option," objected Georgina. "No way."

Emme returned the frying pan to the stove and planted her hands on her waist, casting an exasperated glance at her grandmother.

"Tell me, how does that not drive you crazy, Grandma?"

"I'm 63." she said simply, as if that explained everything. "Emmeline, come on, sit here with me."

Emme sighed, she just turned "Emmeline" when her grandmother wanted to lecture her. The girl walked and sat on a bench in front of Georgina.

"If a lamp genius appeared in front of you and gave you three wishes, what would you choose?"

"Grandma..."

"I asked you a question. C'mon. And be honest, I always know when you're lying."

Emme sighed and poked a pancake with a fork. She knew perfectly well which were the three things she would ask for, the ones she most desired, every night. But they all seemed too childish to share.

"I'm still waiting." Georgina pressed.

"All right." Emme squared her shoulders. "I would wish my parents never died." That seemed to surprise Georgina, her eyes glistened with tears for a moment, before she turned and sipped her coffee. Emme continued. "I'd also wish you to cure yourself of Alzheimer's. And, well... I would wish the fictional universes to be real."

Georgina smiled and reached for Emme's hand.

"You see? Out of the three wishes you'd made, only two of them are impossible. For I will never heal, and your parents are dead. It's hard to hear, but it's the truth, Emme. Only you're not dead, or sick. You are a beautiful, intelligent young woman with a golden opportunity ahead of you. Your parents would want you to go to Hogwarts and live as many adventures you could."

Emme was already crying. She sniffed like a child.

"But you... I don't..."

"I already told you what we'll do. I'm going to the rest house in London, so you can visit me when you're on vacation. I'll be fine there, you know I will."

For a moment they were silent. The only noise was Scones trying to climb back on the counter to steal food. Emme turned to her grandmother and hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her face. For a moment, it was as if she were five again.

"My girl," Georgina murmured, stroking her granddaughter's hair. "It's gonna be alright, alright..."

The first of September dawned like a wet and gray morning. As she put on her shoes, Emme watched the thick raindrops falling outside her window. She was feeling a mixture of gigantic emotions inside her chest, joy, uncertainty, anxiety and fear... Her grandmother was in the kitchen with Dulce, humming loudly, and Scones slept at the foot of Emmeline's bed. They had packed everything two days ago, only a few Emme's clothes were tossed into the old closet. In a few minutes, a rental car would arrive to take them to London, where Emme would say good-bye to her grandmother and go alone to Charing Cross station, to take the train to Hogwarts. In the two weeks that passed, Emme had phoned Sam, and the two were very close now. They had even met in London one day, Sam introduced another member of the Magic Extension class to her, Ben - a plump, redheaded boy with freckles on his round face and a nervous smile. Ben was a true CDF, he had decorated absolutely EVERYTHING about the Harry Potter universe, knew the name of every spell, every teacher and every Hogwarts event by heart. No doubt, a great person to be friends with.

After clutching her hair, Emmeline hung the old brown bag on her shoulder and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. The scent of cookies invaded her nostrils and alerted her stomach that she needed to eat. Last night she had not eaten anything, out of anxiety, which also resulted in a very bad night's sleep. But what could she expect? She was going to Hogwarts! Dulce made a point of assuring Emme that she would visit Georgina every day, as the rest house was two blocks from her house, and that she would take her to shop at Picadilly Circus and to walk in Hyde Park. It made Emme's heart a little lighter.

As soon as Emme finished with the breakfast's dishes, the car that was to take them arrived, the three women embarked and headed for London, in a comfortable silence of who is more nervous than let it seems. First, they stoped in the rest house, it was an old-fashioned, but very nice building; the façade in a baby rose that pleased the eyes. Georgina hugged Emme tightly, and kissed her forehead. Emme tried not to cry, she did not want to leave crying.

"Write for me, huh? Use the owls! I like owls."

"I'll write." Emme promised. "Do not forget to turn in the papers for the nurses, and take all the medicines on time."

"Please, girl, it looks like the old woman is you ..." And muttering, she jumped out of the car with Mrs. Dulce, who waved until the car disappeared around the corner.

The driver, a small, balding man, stared at Emme through the rearview mirror.

"Where to, lass?"

Emme inhaled sharply.

"Charing Cross Station. I have a train to take."

In fifteen minutes, Emmeline was inside the station, pushing a cart with her suitcases, the smell in the air was of smoke and fresh coffee. Emme had never seen such a busy station, and it did not take long for her to locate suspicious groups of people, in overly long clothes, talking too low and running with children to the east side of the station. Wizards! It was so obvious, how had no one ever recognized them over all these years? Emme decided to follow a brown haired witch to the nine-and-three-quarter platform. There, she found Sam waiting with the other students of the Extension Program, Christopher was standing near a wall with a call list. He called Emmeline's name as she approached.

"I'm here" she shouted, holding up a hand.

Sam saw her and came running to her, with Ben at her side.

"Oh, you came!" The two of them hug each other quickly. "For a moment, I have to say it, I doubted you would come."

"I know, I doubted it too. But I'd be crazy to refuse, would not I?"

"Crazy," Ben laughed, his nervous laugh making his cheeks dance.

One by one, the students made the crossing. The steady-nosed blond girl refused to run against the wall, claiming that it would knead her clothes, until Sam squirmed and shoved her against the wall, the girl disappeared as if she had fallen through a veil. Emme and Sam ran together, hand in hand, pushing the carts in front of them. When Emme opened her eyes again, she came upon a different platform, full of wizards in bright clothes, talking too loud and pious of owls everywhere. An imposing red train waited on the rails, squirting smoke. Emme blinked in shock. It was it, the Hogwarts Express.

"Come on, we gotta get a booth."

There were wizards of all ages inside the train, it was easy to recognize the beginners, small and anxious. Emme ran into a boy in the hallway, tall and thin, but it was the red hair that denounced him. When they turned into an empty cabin, Sam let out a little shriek.

"Do you think it was Fred or George?"

"It was Percy." Ben said as he entered. "Haven't you see the badge?"

"Harry's here somewhere, right?" Emme remarked thoughtfully as she slipped her trunk into the luggage rack above the chairs.

"Unless we're in Chamber of Secrets. They travel by car to Hogwarts in this book."

"Shiu! You idiot, don't you remember what we have agreed on?" Sam scolded, pulling Ben to sit beside her. "We can not let them know about the books."

Emme had already regretted sharing her theory about they having dived into one of the books for Ben, but she needed his help, the sooner they found out which of the seven books they were in, the sooner they could prepare for events to happen.

"There is no way we're in Chamber of Secrets, Draco is far too old." Emme said, sitting by the window.

"W-well." Ben muttered, he tended to stutter when he got nervous. "I just hope it is not the Prisoner of Azkaban, the train is invaded by Dementors in it, you know."

Sam smiled and stretched her legs to the front seat.

"Um, that would be cool. It's my favorite book, you know?"

"Because of the Dementors?" Ben asked, shocked.

"No, because of the werewolf... Professor Lupin." Sam stretched her lips in a pout, as if kissing an invisible figure. "Oh, wish I could..."

"He's old enough to be your father, isn't he?"

"No, he's not." Sam gave Emme a venomous look. "You know he's not. Besides, you have no morals to judge, have you? I know you feed an excessive admiration for a certain potions teacher..."

Ben's eyes widened.

"S-snape? But he's horrible!"

Emme looked out the window, feeling her cheeks burning. She also regretted talking about it with Sam. The absolute truth was that Severus Snape, was her favorite character ever, only behind Dumbledore. His mysterious way fascinated her, and his story touched her in an odd way. He had never scared her, and even in those moments when he was a complete idiot with Harry and the others, Emmeline still could understand him.

"He's not a villain." Emme whispered, most to herself than to the her friends. "He's just not perfectly good like the others. Life was not hearty with him at all, and he have made some bad choices in his life, but who hasn't? That's why I like him, that makes him very human in my eyes."

Sam coughed uncomfortably.

"It's just that, you know, he is pretty evil sometimes."

"Snape has a good heart, which he prefers to hide, so no one can hurt it. It's different than to be evil. It's a wise choice."

At that moment, the train began to walk, witches and wizards waving outside. Emme thought she saw Molly Weasley, but she was not sure if it was her or just another redheaded witch.

By the way Sam opened her lips, Emme realized she was going to make a comment, but decided to shut up. Neither of them spoke again until they had reached the green fields that stretched after London's gray outside. A discreet knock on the door revealed a friendly witch, pushing a cart full of candy. The three teenagers jumped in the seats. Any leakage of tension dissipating.

"Anything from the trolly, dears?" The witch asked.

Ben was already turning his pockets out, Emme turned to get her own purse.

"Finally, I thought you would never get here." Sam stood up. "We'll take the lot!" Then she turned to Emme and Ben and laughed. "Gosh, I always wanted to say that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has Emmeline just defended Snape? Oh, be still my heart!!! I can almost see the towers of Hogwarts rising ahead of us now...


	4. To This Sad Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Emme finally arrives at Hogwarts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took me longer than I had supposed, but I also really enjoyed the result (I hope you like it too). I’ll clarify some points in the footnotes, for now, enjoy the new chapter.

It was already night when the Hogwarts Express reached the Hogsmeade platform. Emme glanced out the window before picking up her trunk, she could see the pointed towers of the castle from there, rising like rockets in the sky. Even from that distance, the sight managed to steal her breath.   
"Emme, what are you waiting for?" Sam poked Emme in the ribs. "We're here. Are not you anxious to get into Hogwarts?"   
Emme was, of course she was. Entering Hogwarts was all she had dreamed of in life since she was seven, but how would she explain to Sam that weird feeling in her chest? It was almost like a hunch that something bad was about to happen. No, Emme scolded herself, this must be just her insecurity speaking louder, she was at Hogwarts, everything was fine. She smiled at Samantha and stood up.   
"You're absolutely right. Let's go."   
Outside the train the air was freezing. Emme hugged the wizard's robes, minutes before they reached Hogsmeade, all the students had slipped into their uniforms. They were comfortable and especially warm, in a way that made Emme think they had probably been bewitched to adapt to the weather. Despite this, Ben trembled like a dry tree.   
"Do you think we're going to cross the water? Like the newcomers?"   
"It would be nice," Sam replied enthusiastically. "Wouldn't it?"   
"I prefer the mainland." Ben grimaced. "It's safer. Besides, it's going to rain soon."   
Emme looked up at the sky, dense, dark clouds piling up quickly. Ben was right, though she loved the idea of crossing the lake on a boat, the journey would take much longer, and she was too anxious to enter the castle to care about the traditions.   
"First year students here! First year students here!"   
All heads turned in the direction of the voice calling through the fog and smoke of the platform. Emme saw the tall figure, it was really giant, much larger than any particularly tall person she had ever seen. And though she was sure, she still checked his beard and shaggy hair before concluding that it was Rubeus Hagrid.   
"He's terrifying," Ben muttered, hiding behind Sam, who was looking at the giant with passion in her eyes.   
"Your super brain did not record anything right, Benjamin?" She asked irritably. "Hagrid would not hurt a cockroach, besides, I suspect he would offer shelter and food if he found one on his way, don't you agree, Emme?"   
"I don't know. I hate cockroaches."   
Before Samantha could reply with a response to the height, a well-known blonde figure materialized in front of them. Christopher Gaarder.   
"There you are! Why are you always scattered, eh?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Come with me."   
Ben, Sam and Emme set off behind the monitor, pulling their trunks behind them and trying not to bump into the other students still standing on the platform.   
In the short journey they had made to leave the station and take a narrow dirt road, Emme searched all the faces, trying to find him. Harry Potter . As much as she refused to admit it, she was dying of curiosity to meet him.   
The student group of the Extension Magic Program, however, did not follow a path with the rest of the students. They didn't accompany Hagrid to the boats, nor did they follow with the others to the carriages with invisible handles, which everyone knew was the Testralhos. Instead, Christopher led them to a small village, which could only be the village of Hogsmeade.   
Everyone was apprehensive and very cold, but no one questioned the monitor about where they were going. Not even Alice Wilson, the most annoying and matronly girl in the group.   
After about fifteen minutes walking in silence, the group stopped in front of a large mansion of dubious aspect.   
"The dark house," said Ben, shaking more than before. "It's the haunted house where Lupin turned when he was at Hogwarts."   
"Do not be silly, it is not really haunted," Sam snapped, but even she was staring doubtfully at the house. "Why are we here?" she asked as they crossed the property gate.   
"There's a passage that goes right inside Hogwarts Castle in this house," the monitor explained. "Professor Dumbledore thought it would be best if you did not come at the same time as the students from other years, for he wants to select you for your respective houses first."   
Our respective houses, thought Emme, with a twist in the stomach. They were Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor. She always wondered which of the houses she would belong to, and inside her, she had a hunch. Although, to be honest, she knew she would be happy to be screened in any of the Hogwarts houses. Maybe, just not in the Slytherin, which was known to be the house with the most wizards that have turned to the Art of Darkness. The voice of mr. Ollivanders whispered in her ear: But everything has its bad side, yes, if taken to the side of the arts of darkness, its loyalty can have a very high price...   
"Emme, what are you thinking?" Sam asked as she approached Emme and wrapped her arm around hers. They let the group move ahead, keeping a safe distance.   
"That I wouldn't enjoy to be in the Slytherin," said Emme sincerely. "Am I a bad person for thinking that?"   
"I think that makes you a really good person, actually." The friend assured her, and at that moment the students came to the steps that led to the entrance of the house. They were made of wood and moaned when they were trampled underfoot. "But don't worry about it, you're not going to Slytherin."   
She wanted to ask how Sam could be so sure, but they were interrupted by the icy, dusty air that invaded them when Christhoper opened the doors to the old house and they entered. The place was ominous, not to say astounding. Webs gathered in the corners of the walls and ceiling, and yellow sheets covered the scanty furniture. The group instinctively moved closer to each other, as they walked down a long corridor on the ground floor of the house. A passage at the end of the corridor revealed a stone staircase that descended to a subterranean level, swallowed by darkness.   
The Chief Monitor stopped at the entrance and turned to the students, with a bright smile on his thin face.   
"So, who wants to be the first?"

* * *

 

For about twenty minutes, all Emme saw was the darkness and dim contours of Sam's hair, which followed fearlessly in front of the group. The corridor they passed was narrow and cold, the walls made of a stinking, wet stone. When Sam stopped walking suddenly, all the bodies behind her collided with each other, and a series of apologies and curses rose from the silence.   
"There's a door here. Emme, help me pull it."   
Emme went ahead and groped against the damp wall until she found a metal ring, held it tightly between her fingers and pulled it to the side. A scraping sound revealed a sudden diffused lighting that struck Emmeline's eyes. Sam left first, and Emme then.   
She stood up and wiped her hands on her robes, before looking up and feeling that her heart had gone to the bottom of her stomach. Oh my God! The phrase kept repeating itself in her head as she twirled around herself, frantically rolling her eyes and trying to capture every detail she could muster. They were inside the property! Inside Hogwarts grounds... It seemed inconceivable, but it was real.  
As soon as all the students came out of the dark tunnel and Christopher closed the passage, which Emme belatedely noticed, it was a hole in a gigantic tree she recognized as the Whomping Willow, the Monitor turned to the group, shaking the dust off their robes.  
"Come on, Professor McGonagall hates waiting."   
"He said McGonagall, didn't he?" Ben, who had run and caught Emme and Sam, asked looking excited. And no wonder, Minerva McGonagall was a legend among the wizards, Transfiguration teacher and Gryffindor Director. Emme began to wonder if she would remotely look like Maggie Smith, the actress who played her in the movies, but was prevented from reaching a conclusion as the group made crossed the garden and stopped in a large, hall lit with several torches burning.   
At the top of a staircase, a tall, thin figure in moss-green robes, waited solemnly. The students climbed the lost stairs in comments and exclamations, and stopped at the witch's feet. She was exactly as described in the books, severe and rigid features, but gentle eyes framed by square glasses. Her hair was firmly attached to a bun, and she swept the group with her eyes before turning to Christopher.   
"Mr. Gaarder, good work, now you can go and wait for your colleagues in the lobby," Christopher obeyed and turned to go downstairs. "Welcome, new students, to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You have been privileged with a unique opportunity given by our Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore..." The witch stopped talking at the sight of Sam's hand upright high. Her eyes narrowed. "Yes?"   
"We are not witches or wizards, why have we been chosen?" Asked the girl, bluntly. Minerva did not even seem at all shaken.   
"Your doubts will be clarified soon," was all she said, before turning away from the group. "Follow me now."   
Everyone followed her almost on the run, for a woman of her age, Professor Minerva McGonagall was exceptionally quick. They stopped in front of two unusually tall doors, which opened up as if by magic when they approached. The Great Hall appeared before their eyes like a dream. Four long tables, one for each house, were distributed at regular intervals through the vast hall. In the background, another table was horizontally placed, for the teachers, who were already there.  
"Oh my dear God, look at this!" Sam exclaimed, pointing up. The ceiling of the hall was enchanted to look like the sky outside, that Emme already knew, yet she could not contain the surprise as she looked up and faced the vastness of a black sky surrounded by gray and charged clouds.   
No one said anything until they were all lined up in front of the salon. Emme glanced over at the teachers, hungry to absorb all faces and try to recognize them. She saw Prof. Flitwick, small and smiling. Professor Sprout, in her yellow robes and wearing the warmest smile Emmeline had ever seen. And finally she saw him, seated in the middle, in purple robes and a pointed hat of the same color, his long white beard reaching his belly button and his moon-shaped glasses. Albus Dumbledore, Hogwart's Headmaster.  
Emme's eyes filled with tears, which she struggled to contain. And it was then that, as she looked again at the seats, that she noticed that two of them were empty. From the quick accounts she made, Emme realized that one of them could only be Hagrid's, and the other, she noticed with a pang in her heart... Emme turned and pulled Ben with such violence that the boy almost hit his face in hers.   
"Ben, think fast, is there any book where Snape is not present at the opening banquet?" Ben, who seemed to have been taken aback, made a grimace of concentration. But before he had answered, Professor McGonagall's voice announced:   
"First and foremost, you will be selected for your respective houses. Your houses will be like your families, you will attended classes with the rest of your household, share the dormitories with them, and spent precious time in the common room of the house you're selected." She spoke briefly about the four houses, about the formidable wizards they had already produced, and how each mistake and hit would result in the loss or obtaining of points.   
Then she pulled a wooden stool to the center of the room, on top of it the captive and familiar figure of the Sorting Hat. With a touch of McGonagall's wand, the object came to life and began to sing in a cheerful tone. Emme was still nervous about figuring out whether Snape's absence was a concrete proof of the book they were in, or simply a delay, since, theoretically, the banquet had not yet begun.   
... Maybe you'll go to Gryffindor,   
where everyone is bold, brave and noble.   
Or maybe it's the Hufflepuff where you're going to live,   
All the hufflepuffs are fair and loyal   
Patient and sincere, and not afraid of pain;   
Or who knows, your house is the Ravenclaw,   
The house of the wises, companions   
Of a fast and alert mind;   
Or is it that, at last, Slytherin is where you fit   
Determination and search for power, is it   
We will see! We will see!   
"Harry was not lying to say that the speeches of the Sorting Hat are dreadful," commented one of the students right behind Emme, and she felt compelled to agree.   
The first name was called, Alice Wilson, the stuck girl who take Samantha from the axes. The girl sat on the bench, and you could tell she was nervous, even though she struggled against it. The hat was laid on her head by Professor McGonagall, and it seemed to ruminate for a moment, before shouting: Slytherin!, and making a face.   
Sam and Emme looked at each other, and Emme saw that her friend wanted to say something to comfort her, but Ben's name was called and the two turned their attention to their friend. Benjamin, however, stayed where he was.   
"Smith, Benjamin," the teacher repeated impatiently.   
"Come on, Ben, it's you!" Sam pulled and pushed him forward, resulting in a stumble that almost brought him to the ground. Finally, Ben sat down on the bench and received the hat, which did not take ten seconds to conclude: Ravenclaw!   
"I'm not surprised, are you?" Sam asked, clapping her hands as their friend passed them and sat down at his table. Emme could swear she looked proud.   
"Gray, Emmeline," the teacher's stern voice called, bringing Emme back to reality. The girl swallowed, feeling her whole body tremble all of a sudden, and forced her legs up the steps and to the Sorting Hat.   
Before turning and sitting, her eyes met Professor Dumbledore's for a moment, and Emme could have sworn he had leaned forward at the sound of her name. She sat down, and the hat was placed on her head, it was very large and covered her eyes, leaving everything in a sickening darkness.   
Hmm, Gray, is not it? Very interesting. The voice of the hat, if it could be said like that, whispered inside Emme's head. Just do not put me on Slytherin, please, she asked unconsciously. Slytherin, no? I think I've heard it before. Harry Potter, Emme thought angrily. She had no prejudice against the Slytherins, she knew that not everyone was evil. But she was aware that the worst personalities of the school were found in that house.   
I see a loyalty without size, yes, and also a curious and skillful mind. You're very brave too, are not you, Emmeline? Am I? Emme wondered. She had never had the courage to do anything. She could not watch horror movies, and she was scared to death of high places. She certainly was not a brave person. Oh, you are. But there are more remarkable characteristics, your loyalty and pure heart stand out. Emme wanted to thank him, but she did not think it would do any good. And when the hat, after a brief pause, announced her house. Emme breathed for the first time since sitting. Hufflepuff! Shouted, and Emme ran to the table from her new house.  
I'm a Hufflepuff! She was so happy. If she could choose, Hufflepuff would have been her first choice, even before Gryffindor. Emme knew the loyal spirit and companion of the hufflepuffs and thought that among all the houses, they were the most united and friendly. Surely there could not be a better place to be.   
"Scott, Samantha."   
Emme glanced up in time to see Sam walking towards the bench. She was balky, and she kept herself that way after five minutes when the hat was on her head. Everyone began to look at each other. Nobody had taken so long, had it? But it was no surprise that Sam was a hat-tie. She was a complex person, and she could easily adapt to any of the houses. However, Emme's happiness was complete as the hat finally decided to put Sam in the same house as her.   
"Oh, that's great, we're in the same house!" she said as Sam came up, smiling. "Wait, you already knew, don't you?"   
Sam shrugged.   
"Sixth Sense."   
The selection continued for another ten minutes, until all Extension Program students were housed at their respective tables and talking. The Headmaster then got to his feet, and that silenced them all. When Dumbledore stopped in front of the group, he waved and began to speak, all eyes were on him.   
"Welcome, students of the Magic Extension Program. It is with great happiness that we welcome you to our school." The man's voice was hoarse, but deep. "I think many of you are wondering how all this is possible, is not it? Until days ago, you believed that everything about the wizarding world was just a fantasy..." He paused dramatically. "But there's a bottom of truth in all the stories, and you're a part of it, you're witches and wizards, all of you, who for one reason or another did not join Hogwarts when you had should."   
"How is this possible?" Sam muttered, staring at the headmaster with her eyes shining, and as if he had heard her, he replied, "It's simple. Someone misplaced your letters when you were eleven. It happened to everyone here. At the end of last year, Professor McGonagall and I, while checking out our archives, had the idea of opening a Program that would include all the wizards who did not have the opportunity to start their school life at Hogwarts, and who instead were raised as Muggles, without any notion of the world to which they really belonged. "   
Emme listened to everything enchanted and at the same time worried. She was a witch, and someone had prevented her from attending Hogwarts as a child. But who would have done it? And who else in her family was a wizard? Her mother or father? But they would have told her, would not they?   
"However, I know some of you here may know the books that tell our story. I've heard they're very common among the Muggles," they all nodded. "Well, it would be better if no one here commented on the existence of such books with the other students. To avoid undesirable discussions, yes?"   
No one dared to reply. The Headmaster gave a few more warnings, and then went to sit down again. Professor McGonagall went out again, probably going to receive the first-year students. And for about ten minutes, the Magic Extension Program students assimilated everything that had happened to them there.   
After that time, the doors of the hall opened again, and Emme jumped. A gigantic group of black robes entered the hall, the larger students came in front, and the smaller ones followed behind accompanied by McGonagall. Emme's eyes met Draco Malfoy at once. He was accompanied by two tall, plump boys, Crabbe and Goyle, although it was impossible to know who was who. Two students Emme also had no difficulty in identifying, moved to the Gryffindor table; the girl had full and messy hair, and the boy was redhaired with freckles on his face. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. But where was Harry?   
Ben, who where two tables away from Emme and Sam, began to shake hands frantically. They both turned to him, not understanding. He seemed to be doing a series of nonsensical mime. He ran his fingers through the inside of his arms several times, and then he made a movement toward his head, like a hat.   
"What is he trying to say?" Sam asked, returning a gesture that she was not understanding. Ben tried to murmur, but they could not hear anything with the noise of the voices.   
The First-Year's Selection began, and Emme let the thought wander far away, as she gazed at one of the windows overlooking the gardens. She could see the Whomping Willow. Her heart leapt when, several minutes later, she captured two tall, black figures moving hastily through the garden. Emme turned her head toward the teachers' table again. Hagrid was there, but no sign of Snape yet.   
She turned back to Ben, who repeated the gestures again for her. Emme understood instantly, and then the doors of the hall were opened. A boy came in front, almost running toward the Gryffindor table, had green eyes and black and messy hair. Even from a distance, Emme already knew it was him. The boy who lived. Harry Potter! Behind him, the tall, slender figure in pitch-black robes, hair and eyes, paused and closed the door with a wand's movement.   
Emme turned to Sam, heart pounding desperately.   
"The Half Blood Prince," she said, almost out of breath. "We're in the Half Blood Prince's book, Sam."   
Sam did not seem to understand why Emme had been so caught up by the information. Not until she saw Dumbledore rise again, and make a wide gesture to welcome the students. Their eyes reached out to one of his hands, which was terribly black and looking sick. Sam seemed to understand everything.   
"Oh, my God..." she said, covering her mouth. "It's the book where Dumbledore dies, isn't it?"   
With renewed strength within her, Emme stared at Samantha.   
"Not if we could prevent it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now everything will start for real. I have tried to be as faithful as possible to the chronology of The Half Bloob Prince book, after much pain and thinking, I decided that it would be wiser to guide me through the history, which will not do much for me. I urge you to forgive any slippage or chronological contradiction, maybe I'll need to make some minor changes so that the story is not impaired. In fact, if we want a happier ending than we had in HBP (not detracting from JK Rowling’s incredible work, but since she allows us to play with the universe she created, why not imagine a reality in which Dumbledore never died?) , changes will be required. Fasten your belts, ma'loves, and be my guest...

**Author's Note:**

> I know you might be looking forward to see Emme and her new potions teacher meeting, believe me, me too, but first we needed to know Emmeline and her life better. The title of the story is already very suggestive, but if there was still any doubt, the title of the chapter makes it clear that my inspiration comes from a Disney tale. In fact, I like to think that Emme can have an effect as positive on Snape as Belle had on Prince Adam, but well, that’s something you’ll have to wait and see...


End file.
